Golf Mat

ABSTRACT

A golf mat has a high-density polyurethane viscoelastic foam removably placed in a cutout formed in a base. A hitting section is attached to an upper surface of the foam so that impacts of golf swing hitting the mat is absorbed by the foam. The foam may be placed in a protective bag to protect the foam from chipping and fraying. The hitting area is made with nylon having thermochromic pigments so that the pigments change color temporarily due to increased temperature from friction caused by impact and swipe of a golf clubhead on the hitting section when the golf clubhead hits the hitting section. The mat has a standing section with vertical lines and horizontal lines for the alignment of the golfer&#39;s feet. Moreover, the mat has a first set and a second set of on-the-mat-swing-path lines to compare the direction of temporary heat signature left by a divot.

SUMMARY

An improved golf mat for practice is presented herein. Although golf mats have been used for longtime to assist golfers to practice their swings, one of the disadvantages of practice golf mat is that the golf mat is made of material that is too hard.

Statistics show that more than 80% of golfers suffer from finger joints, wrist joints, elbows, shoulder joints, headaches, and muscle pain. These are common golf injuries and they occur when golfers practice swinging at home or on driving range mats. Because the golf practice mats are made of substantially hard material, a clubhead transfers the shock waves of the impact zone from the hitting the hard surface of the mats to the golfer. As repeated impacts are transferred to the body, many golf injuries occur.

Golf mats are made of compressed regeneration rubber that has hardness as hard as Hardness Hr60. In contrast, the hardness of common fairway grass is believed to be about Hr5 which is more than significantly soft than that of compressed rubber. Therefore, a golfer practicing on one of those compressed regeneration rubber mats feel the impact, the shock and sometimes pain, especially when a golf swing was less than ideal. The shock is absorbed by the golf head, transferred through the shaft, through the hands to the body joints. Such shock is more exasperated when a swing of the golfer is not in elliptical sweep-with-a-broom-type swing, but is in a downward chopping motion to induce spin on the ball with irons.

Often, even with a proper swing trajectory of irons changes from a circular motion to an elliptical downward swing in the impact zone caused by the shifting of the body weight, producing a divot of several inches long and up to about ¾ inches deep into the ground dug into the grass and into the ground. Thus, even with a good and proper swing, the clubheads dig into the grass causing shocks from the impact. Unfortunately, practice swings on golf mats made of compressed regeneration rubber are not so forgiving as grass, unable to cut into the soft ground, and cause significant impact, transferring shock to various joints of the golfer. The problem of shock transferring to the joints is greatly exasperated when the swing is improper.

In addition to having improper swing causing the body to absorb continuous shock, the unforgiving compressed regeneration rubber mat causes the clubhead to bounce off. Unless the impact of the clubhead with the ball is properly done and the impact made before the clubhead touches the practice mat, the impact of the golf clubhead causes the ball to move forward, making the flightpath of the ball to be different from that of hitting on the grass. Perhaps this one of the reasons why a golfer who is pretty good at a practice range has difficulties on the natural grass on golf courses. The impact on the golf ball is different and any clubhead hitting behind the ball on the natural grass is dug into the ground, not bouncing off or sliding off much softer natural turf.

Although an old adage that says, practice makes perfect, but it is only true if the practice is done properly and simulates the actual conditions. Practicing much with a bad habit or with improper swings will only enhance the physical memory of the improper swing, making the bad habit only worse and ingrained. Therefore, an improved golf practice mat to closely simulate the actual on-the-field experience of hitting off grass turf is presented herein.

A golf mat is made with a base of compressed regeneration rubber having a cutout to hold a high-density polyurethane viscoelastic foam (“the foam”) within the cutout. A hitting section is then attached to an upper surface of the foam. Because the high-density polyurethane viscoelastic foam is directly under the hitting section, the high-density polyurethane viscoelastic foam that is much softer than compressed regeneration rubber absorbs the much of the impact of the golf clubhead hitting the hitting section, reducing any impact transferred onto the golfer.

To improve the longevity of the foam, the golf mat may have a protective bag that holds the foam in the bag. A bag should be designed to fit the foam into the bag. The bag has an opening on one side so that the foam may be replaced after long use with its normal wear and tear. A bag may have a flap over the opening. An ideal material for the bag may be elastic yet strong and resilient material that is resistant to tearing, chipping, or fraying, including but not limited to, rubber, nylon or canvas. The hitting section is then removably attached to an upper portion of the protective bag. A combination of hook and pile attachments may be used to removably attach the hitting section to the foam or to the protective bag. A combination of hook and pile attachments may also be used to removably attach the foam (sometimes in the bag) to the bottom of the cutout; thus, removably attaching the foam to the base.

With the hitting section removably attached to the mat, only the hitting section is easily replaced when the hitting section wears out. Likewise, with the foam placed in the bag, only the foam can easily be replaced when the foam is chipped, frayed or permanently deformed due to extended use. Also, the bag can likewise be easily replaced. As each of the wearable components is replaceable, the more costly base of the mat may be used for a very long time.

One advantage of the golf mat is that the hitting section may better simulate a golf clubhead hitting the golf mat, especially allowing the hitting section to be depressed over the foam and better simulate the golf swing over the natural turf. A temporary depression or a divot is formed as the golf clubhead hits and swipes over the hitting section, causing friction between the golf clubhead and the hitting surface, temporarily increasing temperature over hitting surface swiped by the golf clubhead.

Because the depression due to the foam under the hitting surface caused by the golf clubhead is now shaped like a divot with the golf clubhead swiping the surface rather than the golf clubhead impacting and bouncing off much harder compressed regeneration rubber, the shape of the of a golf club may be used to improve the golf swing.

Thus, as an improvement, the golf mat's hitting area may be made of nylon having thermochromic pigments. The thermochromic pigments in the nylon would change color temporarily when swiped or hit due to increased temperature from friction caused by impact and swipe of a golf clubhead on the hitting section. A shape of the divot, even the hitting section recovers from the elasticity of the foam, is temporarily shown on the hitting section so that the golfer may view the size and shape of the divot, allowing the golfer to determine and analyze the direction of the swing path. For an improved performance, the hitting area may be made to simulate the natural grass using strips of nylons simulating artificial turf. The thermochromic pigments in the strips of nylon, while simulating the grass, will still change color temporarily to make the divot appear.

The golf mat has a standing section on which a golfer stands to place the golfer's feet. The standing section may have both a plurality of horizontal lines for the alignment of the golfer's feet and a plurality of vertical lines for the alignment of the golfer's feet. The horizontal lines are to simulate parallel stance to the proper swingline of a golf swing. The vertical lines are to be perpendicular to the horizontal lines and designed to show the width of the stance. In addition, the vertical lines show the angle (openness) of each foot from the vertical lines; both before the swing and after the swing. The golfer will easily see how much feet are moved: how much the left foot is rotated, if any, and how much the right foot has moved toward the left foot, if any.

An additional improvement is made by the hitting section having one or more swing-path lines for comparing shape of a divot with one or more swing-path lines. Because the clubhead's path on the hitting surface will be temporarily marked by the change of color due to increased temperature caused by friction of the clubhead on the thermochromic pigments in the nylon, the shape and the direction of the divot is easily seen. The divot impression on the hitting surface may be easily compared to the one or more swing-path lines on the mat.

The hitting section may have one or more swing-path lines for comparing shape of a divot with one or more swing-path lines. When the hitting section has one or more swing-path lines, the impression of divot made by the clubhead's path on the hitting surface that is temporarily marked by the change of color due to increased temperature can easily show the direction of the golf swing just made and be readily compared to ideal swing paths (represented by the one or more swing-path lines) already imprinted on the hitting surface. The golfer can easily distinguish how his or her swing is aligned with the ideal predetermine swing path imprinted on the hitting surface. The golfer can also observe how deep the divot would have been by comparing the width of the divot with the clubhead. Quickly knowing and analyzing the swing path, the depth of the divot and the length of the divot will be very helpful in improving the golf swing and make the golf practice more effective and more enjoyable.

The mat may have two or more sets of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines. A first set of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines is formed by a one or more swing-line extensions marked on the mat such that the lines on the mat are continuously aligning with the one or more swing-path lines on the hitting section. Because the hitting section does not encompass a large area of the mat, the first set of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines, together with the one or more swing-path lines on the hitting section, provides longer lines to assist the golfer to study and analyze his or her swing path. Although this first set of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines may be sufficient to improve the practice swings, one embodiment of the golf mat has a second set of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines paralleling the one or more swing-path lines of the hitting section, next to the hitting section, away from the feet of the golfer. Either or both of the first and second set of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines may have a crosshair to indicate an ideal golf ball placement.

To be reasonably good in the game of golf, the golfer has to memorize the proper swing with much practice such that the body remembers the swing naturally via muscle memory. Such a muscle memory is achieved only by much practice of repeated swings; one reason why so many golfers hit a driving range.

The inventor believes the most important elements in golf is (1) Lineup, (2) Setup and (3) Swing. Whether one is rounding or practicing on the practice field, the golfer must first set the target, line up for the target, set up for a swing, and then swing of a golf club. Setting up for a good line towards the target and setting up properly for an ideal swing is essential in playing well.

With the conventional mat in a practice range, it is difficult to align the swing with the target, the distance from the stance to the ball, the width of the stance feet, the openness of feet angle (whether toes to the heel of a foot is perpendicular with the swingline or rotated to the left or right), and the same location of the ball in light of the stance and the club selection. It should be noted that a golf swing changes with even with a slight variation to any of these parameters, as well as any variation to the actual swing of a golf club. Moreover, it is quite difficult to understand how a swing was actually made because there is no indication of the swing path (or an impression or a divot) on the practice mat.

The disclosure herein provides a golf practice mat that is best positioned to provide (1) consistent stance, including the distance from the ball to the feet, the width of the stand of the feet, and alignment of the feet to the target and/or the ideal swingline and (2) analysis of how the impact of the golf clubhead to the ball is made using the impression left that simulates the divot and the clubhead path on the practice mat that can be compared to the on-the-mat-swing-path lines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the improved golf mat will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows the golf mat with a removable high-density polyurethane viscoelastic foam with a hitting section;

FIG. 2 shows a cut-away view of the golf mat showing a golf clubhead making an impact on the hitting section;

FIG. 3 shows the removable high-density polyurethane viscoelastic foam placed in a bag removably attached to the mat;

FIG. 4 shows a top view of the hitting section, showing an impression of a divot;

FIG. 5 shows the golf mat; and

FIG. 6 shows a cut-away view for the cross-section A-A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

An improved golf mat is described in detail as shown on the Figs.

FIG. 1 shows the golf mat 10 with a removable high-density polyurethane viscoelastic foam 15 with a hitting section 20. The golf mat 10 is made with a base 25 of compressed regeneration rubber having a cutout 30 to hold a high-density polyurethane viscoelastic foam 15 (“the foam”) within the cutout 30. The hitting section 20 is then attached to an upper surface 35 of the foam 15. Because the high-density polyurethane viscoelastic foam 15 is directly under the hitting section 20, the high-density polyurethane viscoelastic foam 15 that is much softer than compressed regeneration rubber absorbs the much of the impact of the golf clubhead 40 (shown in FIG. 2) hitting the hitting section 20, reducing any impact transferred onto the golfer.

To improve the longevity of the foam 15, the golf mat 10 may have a protective bag 45 that holds the foam 15 in the bag 45. A bag 45 should be designed to fit the foam 15 into the bag 45. The bag 45 has an opening 50 on one side so that the foam 15 may be replaced after long use with its normal wear and tear. A bag 45 may have a flap over the opening 50 to close the opening and to better protect the foam 15. An ideal material for the bag 45 may be elastic yet strong and resilient material that is resistant to tearing, chipping, or fraying, including but not limited to, rubber, nylon or canvas. The hitting section 20 is then removably attached to an upper portion 55 of the protective bag 45. A combination of hook and pile attachments 60 (shown in FIG. 2) may be used to removably attach the hitting section 20 to the foam 15 or to the protective bag 45. A combination of hook and pile attachments 60 may also be used to removably attach the foam 15 (sometimes in the bag 45) to the bottom 65 of the cutout 30; thus, removably attaching the foam 15 to the base 25.

With the hitting section 20 removably attached to the mat 10, only the hitting section 20 may be easily replaced when the hitting section 20 wears out. Likewise, with the foam 15 placed in the bag 45, only the foam 15 can easily be replaced when the foam 15 is chipped, frayed or permanently deformed due to extended use. Also, the bag 45 can likewise be easily replaced. As each of the wearable components is replaceable, the more expensive base 25 of the mat 10 may be used for a very long time.

One advantage of the golf mat 10 presented herein is that the hitting section 20 may better simulate a golf clubhead 40 hitting the golf mat 10, especially allowing the hitting section 20 to be depressed into the foam 15, better simulating the golf swing over natural turf. A temporary depression 70 or a divot 75 is formed as the golf clubhead 40 hits and swipes over the hitting section 20, causing friction between the golf clubhead 40 and the hitting surface 80, temporarily increasing temperature over hitting surface 80 swiped by the golf clubhead 40.

Because the depression 70 due to the foam 15 under the hitting surface 80 caused by the golf clubhead 40 is now shaped like a divot 75 with the golf clubhead 40 swiping the surface 80 rather than the golf clubhead 40 impacting and bouncing off much harder compressed regeneration rubber mat 10, the shape of the of a golf clubhead 40 compared to the shape of the depression 70 or the divot 75 may be used to improve the golf swing.

Thus, as an improvement, the golf mat's hitting area 85 on the hitting surface 80 may be made of nylon 90 having thermochromic pigments 95 (shown enlarged as a reference). The thermochromic pigments 95 would be permeated throughout the hitting surface 80 by various methods available in the industry, including but not limited to, impregnation, mixing in with the liquified nylon prior to cooling and forming the nylon, and/or painting. The thermochromic pigments 95 in the nylon 90 would change color temporarily when swiped or hit due to increased temperature from friction caused by impact and swipe of a golf clubhead 40 on the hitting area 85. A shape of the divot 75 on the hitting surface 80, as the divot 75 and the hitting area 85 recover due to the elasticity of the foam 15, is temporarily shown on the hitting section 20 so that the golfer may view the size and shape of the divot 75 and the size and the shape of the depression 70, allowing the golfer to determine and analyze the direction of the swing path. For an improved performance, the hitting area 85 may be made to simulate the natural grass using strips of nylons simulating artificial turf. The thermochromic pigments 95 in the strips of nylon 90, while simulating the grass, will change color temporarily to make the shape of the divot 75 appear and then appear.

The golf mat 10 has a standing section 100 on which a golfer stands to place the golfer's feet 105. The standing section 100 may have both a plurality of horizontal lines 110 for the alignment of the golfer's feet 105 and a plurality of vertical lines 115 also for the alignment of the golfer's feet 105. The horizontal lines 110, representing the x-axis, are to simulate parallel stance to the proper swingline of a golf swing. The vertical lines 115, representing the y-axis, are to be perpendicular to the horizontal lines 110 and designed to show the width of the stance. In addition, the vertical lines 115 show the angle (openness) of each foot from the vertical lines 115; both before the swing and after the swing. The golfer will easily see how much feet are moved and/or shifted, including but not limited to, how much the left foot is rotated, if any, and how much the right foot has moved toward the left foot, if any.

An additional improvement is made by the hitting section 20 having one or more swing-path lines 120 (as shown in FIG. 4) for comparing shape of a divot 75 with one or more swing-path lines 120. Because the clubhead's path on the hitting surface 80 will be temporarily shown by the change of color due to increased temperature caused by friction of the clubhead 40 on the thermochromic pigments 95 in the nylon 90, the shape and the direction of the divot 75 is easily seen. The divot 75 impression on the hitting surface 80 may be easily compared to the one or more swing-path lines 120 on the hitting surface 80 of the hitting section 20 or on the mat 10.

The hitting section 20 may have one or more swing-path lines 120 for comparing shape of a divot 75 with one or more swing-path lines 125. When the hitting section 20 has one or more swing-path lines 120, the impression (or depression 70) of divot 75 made by the clubhead's path on the hitting surface 80 that is temporarily marked by the change of color due to increased temperature can easily show the direction of the golf swing just made and readily be compared to ideal swing paths (represented by the one or more swing-path lines 120) already imprinted on the hitting surface 80. The golfer can easily distinguish how his or her swing is aligned with the ideal predetermine swing path (represented by the one or more swing-path lines 120) imprinted on the hitting surface 80. The golfer can also observe how deep the divot 75 would have been by comparing the width of the divot with the width of the clubhead 40. Quickly knowing and analyzing the swing path, the depth and the width of the divot 75 and the length of the divot 75 will be very helpful in improving the golf swing and make the golf practice more effective and more enjoyable.

The mat 10 may have two or more sets of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines 125. A first set 130 of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines 125 is formed by a one or more swing-line extensions 135 marked on the mat 10 such that the one or more swing-line extension 135 lines on the mat 10 are continuously aligning with the one or more swing-path lines 120 of the hitting section 20. Because the hitting section 20 does not encompass a large area of the mat 10, the first set of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines 130, formed together with the one or more swing-path lines 125 on the hitting section 20, provides longer lines to assist the golfer to study and analyze his or her swing path. Although this first set 130 of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines 125 may be sufficient to improve the practice swings, one embodiment of the golf mat 10 has a second set 140 of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines 125 paralleling the one or more swing-path lines of the hitting section 120 and that of the first set 130 of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines 125, placed next to the hitting section 20, away from the feet 105 of the golfer. Either or both of the first set 130 and second set 140 of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines 125 may have a crosshair 145 to indicate an ideal golf ball placement. Although a crosshair 145 is used to indicate an ideal golf ball placement, the scope of this disclosure is not limited to the use of a crosshair 145, but would include any marking suitable for an ideal ball location, including a dot or a mark or a symbol or a picture of a golf ball.

FIG. 2 shows a cut-away view of the golf mat 10 showing a golf clubhead 40 making an impact on the hitting section 20. As a golf swing is made, the clubhead 40 makes a depression 70 into the golf mat 10 due to the forgiving of the foam 15 under the hitting section 20. As the golf clubhead 40 swipes over the hitting surface 80, the color changing nylon 90 having the thermochromic pigments 95 changes color due to friction, increasing the temperature of the hitting surface 80 over the depression 70 (the divot 75), temporarily leaving a changed color impression on the hitting surface 80.

FIG. 2 also shows the use of a combination of hook and pile attachments 60 between the hitting section 20 and the foam 15 and the use of a combination of hook and pile attachments 60 between the foam 15 and the bottom 65 of the cutout 30.

FIG. 3 shows, as in FIG. 1, the use of a protective bag 45 that helps to protect the high-density polyurethane viscoelastic foam 15. FIG. 3 also shows a combination of hook and pile attachments 60 between the foam 15 and the bottom 65 of the cutout 30.

FIG. 4 shows a top view of the hitting section 20, showing an impression of the divot 75. FIG. 4 shows what would be an impression of the divot 75 (or the depression 70 made by the clubhead 40) with the length of the divot 75 perfectly aligning with the center swing-path line 150. FIG. 4 also shows two additional swing-path lines 155, 160 which combined with the center swing-path line 150 form the one or more swing-path lines 120.

FIG. 5 shows the top view of the golf mat 10, showing the hitting section 20 having the one or more swing-path lines 120 placed in the cutout 30. The one or more swing-path lines 120 of the hitting section 20 align with the one or more swing-line extensions 135 of the one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines 125 to form the first set 130 of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines 125. In addition to the first set 130 of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines 125, FIG. 5 also shows the second set 140 of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines 125. The second set 140 allows the golfer to use the harder surface of mat 10 under the second set 140, if the golfer prefers to simulate the conventional mat without the foam 15. One advantage of present embodiment is that the golfer may switch between hitting the balls off the hitting surface 80 of the hitting section 20 over the foam 15 and the hitting the balls off the nylon over the base 25 simulating much harder and much less giving surface over the compressed regeneration rubber.

FIG. 5 also shows a stance template having the combination of both the plurality of horizontal lines 110 for the alignment of the golfer's feet 105 and the plurality of vertical lines 115 also for the alignment of the golfer's feet 105. As explained earlier, the vertical lines 115, representing the y-axis, are to be perpendicular to the horizontal lines 110 and designed to show the width of the stance. In addition, the vertical lines 115 show the angle (openness) of each foot from the vertical lines 115; both before the swing and after the swing.

As easily observed from FIG. 5, the stance of the golfer can easily be seen by the location of the golfer's feet. Comparing to the one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines 125, one can quickly analyze whether his or her stance is parallel with the center swing-path lines 125 or either of the additional swing-path lines 155, 160. Such a skewed setup line 165, as shown in FIG. 5, may show the stance of the golfer is improper, but such a skewed setup line 165 may be ideal for practicing hitting a draw or a fade.

FIG. 6 shows a cut-away view for the cross-section A-A.

While the description, drawings and references have presented, shown and described with reference to different embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations in form, detail, compositions and operation may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A golf mat comprising a high-density polyurethane viscoelastic foam and a base having a cutout, wherein the cutout accepts the high-density polyurethane viscoelastic foam placed within the cutout, wherein a hitting section is attached to an upper surface of the foam.
 2. The golf mat of claim 1 wherein the golf mat further comprises of a protective bag that holds the foam in the bag such that the hitting section is attached to an upper portion of the protective bag.
 3. The golf mat of claim 2 wherein the hitting section is removably attached to the upper portion of the protective bag.
 4. The golf mat of claim 3 wherein the hitting section is removably attached to the upper portion of the protective bag by a combination of hook and pile attachments.
 5. The golf mat of claim 1 wherein the hitting area comprises of nylon having thermochromic pigments wherein the thermochromic pigments change color temporarily due to increased temperature from friction caused by impact and swipe of a golf clubhead on the hitting section when the golf clubhead hits the hitting section.
 6. The golf mat of claim 5 wherein the golf mat further comprises of a protective bag that holds the foam in the bag such that the hitting section is attached to an upper portion of the protective bag.
 7. The golf mat of claim 6 wherein the hitting section is removably attached to the upper portion of the protective bag.
 8. The golf mat of claim 7 the hitting section is removably attached to the upper portion of the protective bag by a combination of hook and pile attachments.
 9. The golf mat of claim 8 wherein a lower portion of the protective bag is removably attached to a bottom of the cutout.
 10. The golf mat of claim 9 wherein the lower portion of the protective bag is removably attached to the bottom of the cutout by a combination of hook and pile attachment.
 11. The golf mat of claim 4 wherein the golf mat further comprised of a standing section on which golfer's feet are placed.
 12. The golf mat of claim 11 wherein the standing section has a plurality of horizontal lines for the alignment of the golfer's feet.
 13. The golf mat of claim 12 wherein the standing section has a plurality of vertical lines for the alignment of the golfer's feet.
 14. The golf mat of claim 10 wherein the standing section has a plurality of horizontal lines for the alignment of the golfer's feet.
 15. The golf mat of claim 14 wherein the standing section has a plurality of vertical lines for the alignment of the golfer's feet.
 16. The golf mat of claim 4 wherein the hitting section has of a one or more swing-path lines for comparing shape of a divot with one or more swing-path lines.
 17. The golf mat of claim 13 wherein the hitting section has of a one or more swing-path lines for comparing shape of a divot with one or more swing-path lines, and wherein the one or more swing-path lines has a crosshair.
 18. The golf mat of claim 8 wherein the hitting section has of a one or more swing-path lines for comparing shape of a divot with one or more swing-path lines.
 19. The golf mat of claim 15 wherein the hitting section has of a one or more swing-path lines for comparing shape of a divot with one or more swing-path lines.
 20. The golf mat of claim 19 wherein the mat has a second set of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines paralleling the one or more swing-path lines of the hitting section, and a first set of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines comprising a one or more swing-line extensions forming the first set of one or more on-the-mat-swing-path lines continuously aligning with the one or more swing-path lines on the hitting section. 